Cigarette carton



Nov. 13, 1962 J. J. NICHOLSON CIGARETTE CARTON Filed June 16. l96l .N me e A WU m N d N u l o y M. A TOP/VEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,063,553 Patented Nov. 13, 1962 3,063,553 CIGARETTE CARTON John J. Nicholson, 3606 W. 73rd St., Prairie Village, Kans. Filed June 16, 1961, Ser. No. 117,547 3 Claims. (Cl. 206-4531) This invention relates to improvements in boxes of cartons for containing cigarettes or similar articles requiring stamping of the packages before sale.

Manufacturers and wrappers of such products, such as cigarettes, usually assemble, wrap and fasten the packages in cartons without any provision for the application of an excise tax stamp to the packages, which is required in certain, it not all the States of the United States. In which event, the distributor must unfasten and unwrap each bundle or carton and remove the packages from the wrapper to apply the stamp to the packages and then rewrap the packages and fasten them, which is time-consuming and costly to the distributor or seller.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a carton made from a one-piece cardboard or stiff wrapping paper out and folded in such a manner that a portion of the packages contained in the carton will be exposed for receiving the tax stamp without taking the packages from the cartons.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a carton for cigarettes or the like made from a single sheet of paper, cut and scored so that it may be folded to enclose the cigarettes, but leave a portion of one end of each pack exposed for receiving the tax stamp without removing the packages from the carton; to provide a carton so constructed to effect material saving in the amount of cardboard required to form the packages and which will hold the usual number of cigarette packages which is generally ten, placed in two rows in the carton side by each; to provide a one-piece cardboard having a substantially rectangular shape with spaced score lines forming side members, a bottom member when said carton is folded on said score lines and having spaced strips or straps forming a partially open top for retaining the cigarette packages in the carton when the cardboard is folded and said cardboard having end flaps folded to form ends for the carton and one of the side members having extensions on one side edge of the cardboard for bending over the edge of the top portion to form a retainer for the end packages of cigarettes therein; and to provide adhesive on the end flaps for holding the end flaps in folded relation to form the ends for the packages; and to provide a device of this character, simple and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing the blank from which the carton is constructed and the score lines therein.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton shown in assembled relation except for the end tabs and one of the cross ties being shown in partly open position.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 33-, FIG. 2.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a cardboard blank embodying the features of my invention from which the carbon is to be formed of substantially rectangular shape having spaced score lines 2 and 3 longitudinally of the blank and transverse perforated score lines 4 and 5 across a part of the blank and fold lines 4' and 5' across the remainder of the blank.

Both the perforated and fold lines are spaced from the ends of the blank as will more particularly be set out.

When the blank is folded on the score lines 2 and 3, 6 and 7 designates sides for the carton and S the bottom thereof. The side edges 9 and 10 of the blank are provided with spaced strips or strap members 11 and 12 on each side thereof, the strips 11 being slightly longer than the strips 12, for a purpose later shown. The respective strips 11 and 12 are attached to the side edges 9 and 10 by scored portions 13 and 14 so they will readily fold over each other.

The side sections 6 and 7 have end flaps 15 and 16 extending outwardly from each end thereof from the score lines 4 and 5 and 4f and 5' and the flaps 15 are slightly longer than the flaps 16. Extending outwardly from the score lines 4 and 5 of the bottom portion 8, are tabs 17 and 18 of substantially semi-circular formation.

Extending outwardly from the side edge 19 of the extension flaps 15 of the side member 6 are tabs 20, the tabs 20 being connected to the flaps 15 by score lines as indicated at 21. The tabs 20 are provided with outwardly extending extensions or tongues 22 and 23 from the side edges thereof, also being scored transversely parallel with the score lines 4 and 5, as'indicated at 24 and 25, for a purpose later shown.

In order to form a carton for cigarette packages or the like, as indicated at 26 (FIG. 3), the blank is first folded on fold lines 2 and 3 forming the bottom 8 and sides 6 and 7. The tabs 15 are provided with adhesive along the outer edge thereof to about midway of the flap, as indicated at 27 (FIG. 1), and across the end edge thereof to the perforated lines 4 and 5, as indicated at 28. The tabs 17 and 18 are then folded upwardly on the fold lines 4' and 5 to a vertical position or at right angles to said bottom and the flaps 16 folded inwardly with the lower portion thereof extending over the tabs 17 and 18. The end fiaps 15 are then folded on the perforated lines 4 and 5 and toward the side member 7 and over the tabs 17 and 18 and the flaps 16 and the adhesive portions 27 and 28 of the flaps 15 will cause the flap members to be secured together forming the ends 29 and 30 for the carton.

The packages 26 of cigarettes may then be placed in the carton in parallel lines, side by each as shown in FIG. 2. The tabs 20 may then be folded on the fold lines 21 over the open top portion 31 of the carton and the tongues 22 and 23 folded downwardly on fold lines 24 and 25 to hold the tabs 20 over the open top of the carton and thus forming a retaining strip at each end of the carton for the ends 32 of the packages adjacent the ends of the carton, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The spaced strips or straps 12 are then folded on the fold line 14 to overly the packages 26 of cigarettes and the strips or tie members 11 folded on the fold lines 13 and over the strips 12 and secured to such strips by adhesive, as indicated at 33 (FIG. 2).

It will be noted that the strips 11 and 12 are in alignment with each other and they are so situated on the edges 9 and 10 of the side members so that the respective end edges 34 and 35 of the mating rows of cigarettes will be retained by the strips when they are adhesively secured together, thus leaving a portion of the ends of the cigarette packages exposed for a tax stamp to be applied thereto, as indicated at 36.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that the tying strips 11 and 12 will provide a plurality of spaced apertures or windows 37 in the top of the carton so proportioned and located that each of the packages of cigarettes is held in place over a portion of each end edge thereof, thus disclosing at least a portion of the end of each of the cigarette packages in the carton to expose the same so I that a tax stamp or thae like may be applied thereto with- 3 out breaking open the carton or remoin'ng the packages of cigarettes therefrom.

While I have here referred to the portion 8 of the blank carton as the bottom, this has been merely for convenience. This could very well be the top of the carton and the spaced strip portion the bottom thereof, as it is immaterial as far as placing of the tax stamp thereon.

7 It is obvious that the carton may be partially folded and one end thereof, such as the end 30, folded to place and the tab 20 also folded and formed, as shown in FIG. 2, as well as the spaced strips 11 and 12. With the end 29 still open, the cigarettes could be placed in the carton through such end, as illustrated, and then the end flaps 16, 17 and 15 folded, as heretofore illustrated to close the package. The perforated lines 4 and 5 across the side 6 of the carton permits openings thereof by tearing the flaps 15 along said perforated lines.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improved carton for cigarette packages or the like, made from a one-piece cardboard blank or the like, scored and perforated to form spaced strips over one portion of the carton leaving a portion of the packages contained therein exposed wherein a tax stamp or the like may be applied thereto without removing the packages from the carton.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described one form of my invention it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown except insofar as such limitations are included in the claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A carton of cigarette packages arranged in two parallel rows with the end edges of two packages in aligned relation comprising, a bottom, sides and end portions for said carton and an open top, said end portions having extensions extending over a portion of the open top at each end thereof to engage the end edges of two of said packages at each end of the carton, a plurality of spaced strips along the respective open edges of the sides of the top of said carton, said strips overlapping each other, and adhesive means for securing said strips together across the'open top and'each strip engaging the end edges of four of said packages'to retain the packages in said carton whereby a plurality of spaced openings will be provided in the top of said carton for access to said packages for stamping the same without removal from the carton.

2.. A carton of cigarette packages arranged in two parallel rows with the end edges of two packages in aligned relation, said carton comprising, a bottom, sides and end portions for said carton and an open top, said end portions having extensions extending over a portion of the open top at each end thereof to'engage the'end edges of two of said packaegs at each end of the carton, said extensions being provided with tongues having adhesive thereon for engaging the sides of the carton, a plurality of spaced strips along the respective open edges of the sides of the top of said carton, said strips overlapping each other, and adhesive means for securing said strips together across the open top and each strip engaging the edges of four of said packages to retain the packages insaid carton Whereby a plurality of spaced openings will be provided in the t top of said carton for access to said packages for stamping the same without removal from the carton.

3. A carton of cigarette packages or like articles, said carton being made from a single sheet of cardboard of substantially rectangular shape, said sheet having spaced fold line longitudinally thereof forming when folded on said lines sides and a bottom for said carton, said sides having outer side edges, said sheet having perforated lines transverse of the fold lines across one side thereof spaced from the ends of said sides and fold lines across said bottom and the other side aligned with said perforated lines, and flaps on said sides outwardly of said perforated lines and said transverse fold lines, the end flaps on one side being longer than the flaps on the other side, said bottom having tabs extending outwardly of said fold lines of said bottom, extension members on said longer flaps 'along the side edge thereof in alignment with the side edge of said side of the carton to which the longer flaps are attached and connected thereto by fold lines, said extension members having transverse fold lines in alignment with said perforated lines and the outer edge of said flaps on said one side forming tongues thereon, said longer flaps and said tongues having adhesive on one side thereof, said tabs on said bottom being foldable on said transverse fold lines at right angles to said bottom, said shorter flaps on said other side being foldable on said transverse fold lines at right angles to said other side and said longer flaps on said one side being foldable on said perforated lines and extending over both the tabs on said bottom and said shorter flaps and said longer flaps being secured to said tabs and the shorter flaps by said adhesive to form closed ends for the carton, said extension members on the side edges of the longer flaps being foldable over the open portion of the carton to form end retaining members for the end packagesof cigarettes in said carton, said tongues on said extension members being adhesively secured to the sides of the carton, spaced strips on the respective free edges of said sides, said strips on one side being in alignment with the strips on the other side and the strips on one side being longer than the strips on the other siderand overlapping and adhesively secured together formin retaining members for said packages of cigarettes and spaced openings in said carton extending from the edge of one-side to the edge of the other side of the carton, said packages of cigarettes being stacked side by each in said carton with one of their ends engaging said bottom and the side edges of certain of said packages engaging the side edges of the next adjacent package, said extension member engaging the other end edges of four of said packages and said strips engaging the other end edges of the remaining packages for retaining saidpackages in said carton and said spaced openings exposing the greater portion of one end of each package for stamping same without removal from the carton.

References Cited in the file of this patent STATES PATENTS 2,860,461 Arneson Nov. 18, 1958 

